Since being spun off from Altria (MO) in 2008 Philip Morris International (PM) has raised its dividend every year and delivered predictable returns thanks to the steady nature of the tobacco business. However, this year Philip Morris shares are down nearly 25% on growing concerns over whether its strategy for adapting to the continued global [...]

Over the past half century tobacco giant Altria (MO) has not only been a dependable source of safe and fast growing dividends, but it's also been one of the best performing stocks in the market. However, in 2018 MO's stock has slumped 15%, pushing its dividend yield to its highest level since 2014. As traditional [...]

The current U.S. economic expansion is now the second longest in history. While the next recession may not be imminent, at some point one will happen. So let's take a look at how to prepare your portfolio for a recession, including what specific sectors and asset classes hold up best for retirees concerned with safe [...]

Southern Company’s (SO) stock has slumped 8% since August 7, a large decline over such a short period of time for any business, much less a regulated utility that's supposed to be a defensive holding. The stock’s 5.4% dividend yield now sits near its highest level since 2010, causing some investors to wonder if Southern [...]

Investing in dividend stocks for income can be a sound retirement strategy, but as with all things in finance, there are some important specifics that investors need to be aware of. This guide will look at what income investors need to know about ex-dividend dates, as well as other key dates associated with when and [...]

When it comes to living off passive income in retirement, two of the most popular investments are dividend stocks and bonds. While both types of investments can be highly useful in funding living costs during your golden years, there are important differences between these two asset classes. This guide will look at these differences, both [...]

As you may recall, we announced an all-new version of Simply Safe Dividends was available this summer. Nothing is changing with the original version of the website, but you always have the option of upgrading to the new website for free if you would like to (your membership terms would remain the exact same).   [...]

Buckeye Partners (BPL) has long been a favorite master limited partnership (MLP) among income investors. That's thanks to the firm's impressive track record of steadily growing payouts which up until recently included 22 straight years of annual distribution increases and 32 years of uninterrupted payments. However, the MLP bear market, now in its fourth year, [...]

Shares of Walmart (WMT) surged 10% following the release of the company’s second-quarter earnings report. The big headline is that Walmart’s sales growth was its best in more than a decade. Specifically, Walmart reported 4.5% growth across its U.S. stores that have been open for at least a year, driven by strength in its grocery [...]

Founded in 1863, MetLife (MET) offers a range of insurance products (life, dental, disability, vision, and accident and health coverages), annuities, employee benefits, and asset management. In total, the company's services are offered in over 50 countries around the world and serve more than 100 million individual and institutional customers. MetLife operates through five business [...]

Founded in 1994, GameStop (GME) is a video game, consumer electronics, and wireless services retailer. The company operates 7,200 stores in 14 countries in North America, Europe, and Australia. GameStop's core business model is selling new and pre-owned video games, as well as accessories like: controllers, gaming headsets, virtual reality products, memory cards. The company [...]

Individual retirement accounts (IRAs) were first created by Congress in 1974 to help workers take more control over their retirement savings. In 1978 the 401(k) was created, and the Roth IRA came into existence in 1997. With the decline in traditional pensions these individual retirement accounts have become a critical source of retirement income for [...]

High dividend stocks appeal to many investors living off dividends in retirement because their high yields provide generous income. Many of the highest paying dividend stocks offer a high yield in excess of 4%, and some even yield 10% or more. However, not all high yield dividend stocks are safe. Let’s review what high dividend [...]

Founded in 1885, Johnson Controls International (JCI) is a diversified global industrial conglomerate that provides: heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, industrial refrigeration products, energy management services, security products and systems, fire detection systems, and batteries for a variety of vehicles. The company sells to more than 4 million commercial, industrial, retail, residential, small [...]

Founded in 1888 and formerly known as McGraw Hill Financial, S&P Global (SPGI) provide independent ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and data to the capital and commodity markets in 31 countries under several well-known brands including: Standard & Poor’s (S&P), S&P Capital IQ, Platts, and SNL. In 2017, S&P Global rated about $4 trillion in corporate and [...]